


Zoo Daddy - 동물원 아빠

by hicstans



Series: The new family [4]
Category: The Avengers (2012), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Gen, Odin is trying, visitation rights
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-15
Updated: 2012-10-21
Packaged: 2017-11-16 08:16:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/537389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hicstans/pseuds/hicstans
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A month later, the day Odin and Loki spends together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [동물원 아빠](https://archiveofourown.org/works/507721) by [hicstans](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hicstans/pseuds/hicstans). 



 

****

Odin looked at the mirror.

“Walking around the street in such light attire, Midgardians must be dispossessed of dignity,” he lamented. From his side, Thor smiled encouragingly.

“It is their custom. Also the Earth is hot, therefore weak humans can’t wear layers of armour and ceremonial dress.”

“The visitors should be understanding indeed,” and Odin frowned. He was reminded of the incident which happened two years ago, when he had came down and ‘understood’ the customs of Midgard.

“Remind me - how goes the rules?” asked Odin.

“First we go to Avengers Tower, and you leave with Loki. The set hour is until the sunset, according to the Midgardian standard. At the set time, return to the tower, hand Loki over to Fury and his teammates and you can return to Asgard, father.”

“Only half a day? Do Midgardians truly think being together for such a short span of time would improve our relations?”

“They think it will ‘begin’ to improve,” Thor answered, recalling the manual Coulson had provided him with, instructing him on how to answer with this and that when asked such and such questions. “As this will be repeated for several times in future - and they said it would be better to not stay too long today, as to simply get used to this idea.”

How did he end up following the rules laid down by humans, Odin sighed inwardly.

He knew why. It was because that eyepatched one of Midgard called Nicholas Fury had tamed Loki and made him his son.

Odin did not understand how that was possible. And in order to find out how, he had to follow humans’ rules for now.

‘Loki......’

Thinking of him made Odin’s blood pressure soar up.

His second son, who had made atonement in Jotunheim and was now leading an impeccable life in Midgard as a member of the group of heroes, still hid his actions from Odin or Heimdall’s sight. That was fine, but Loki always removed the veil whenever he was doing what Fury instructed him to do or when Fury praised him or when he was being all clingy and charming to Fury.

As if to show off to Odin.

Did Fury know? Maybe he did. Surely he did. That’s why he treated his grown-up son, no, his ‘son’ who was ten times older than him like a real child, adoring him and petting him and giving him hugs and looking at him tenderly whenever Loki smiled.

“Um, father?” Thor had pulled back, perhaps noticing Odin’s murderous expression. Odin quickly calmed himself.

Though he was an insolent trickster, Loki was still his son and Odin loved him. If he didn’t love him, Loki playing father and son with Fury would not grieve him so.

“Well, I am ready,” said Odin. “Let’s go down.”

********   
  
  


At the rooftop of Avengers Tower, Loki was looking tense and couldn’t stop fretting. He has been trying very hard to unwind and act nonchalant, but results were minimal to say the least.

“By the way, are you really going out wearing that?” asked Tony. Loki turned to him quickly.

“I am accompanying the king of the gods, Odin. It is natural I attire myself with subdued dignity at least.”

“Subdued dignity? You look like you can attend the Oscars in that.”

Loki was wearing a black three-piece suit which gleamed with a greenish sheen when you looked at it from a certain angle, a dark green silk muffler with a gold pattern, and a short black cane with a silver lion head on the handle. His shoes were elegant Italian handmade shoes.

“More like the _Godfather_ than the Oscars. You just need a hat,” Clint interjected.

“How rude. Which part of my person looks like a mafia?” Loki shot back.

“Doesn’t matter. Go out like that and everyone will stare at you,” said Natasha.

“Since I will be with Odin, people will stare; that is an established fact. If they are going to stare, I might as well look good.”

“Way too similar to Tony,” Clint grumbled. Steve and Bruce just stood aside and shook their heads.

Loki suddenly tensed. He reached out and grabbed Fury’s arm.

By now everyone knew what will happen next. A light streamed down from the sky. When the light and the wind had disappeared, there were two Asgardians in front of them. Loki gaped as he stared at the two people who had appeared.

Thor waved, smiling.

“Greetings, friends. Did you await lo-”

“Die, you buffoon!” Loki grabbed a garden chair and threw it at Thor. He hurried to dodge it.

“What, why?”

“Why, you ask!” Loki pointed at Odin. “You chose that, didn’t you! That, that... clothes, you got him to wear it!”

Thor looked confused.

“I did, and?”

Thor looked at Odin. There was no unseemly exposure of skin and he hadn’t given him female clothes by mistake. He had taken great care, as sometimes it was hard to distinguish Midgardian female clothes from male clothes.

This time a potted plant flew towards his head.

“Loki!” Thor shouted as he ran. “Whatever is the prob-”

“You made father wear jeans and a flannel shirt and sneakers - and you don’t think you deserve to die?!!”

After circling the rooftop once, Thor ran away into the tower. Loki also disappeared from their sight as he ran after Thor.

“Um.....”

“Pffft,” Tony was the first one to crack.

“Tony.”

“But, it’s hilarious,” Tony held onto the back of the chair Loki hadn’t thrown and began laughing, his back bent over.

“Nicholas Fury,” Odin called his earthly rival, clearly repressing his sigh with some effort. “Is this... such an improper attire?”

Fury cleared his throat, then turned his eyes away.

“No, it is not improper as such.......... Well, let’s say it doesn’t suit your majesty’s dignified self.”

Odin narrowed his eyes and glared at him.

“It is what you’d wear at home or around your neighbourhood,” Steve tried to explain. “Um, unless you are going to something official, it isn’t so problematic, but......” he couldn’t finish his sentence. The clothes weren’t so bad in themselves, but as Odin’s face was on top of it, the flowing white locks and beard and all, as well as the golden eyepatch on his right eye, it just looked terribly incongruous. “Besides, Loki had... kind of suited up a bit.”

Barely managing to finish his speech, Steve turned to his teammates and pleaded for help with his eyes.

But Bruce and Clint had nothing to offer regarding clothes or fashion, Natasha was a woman, and Tony, the only male who could dress himself well, was dying with laughter and was no help at all.

“Your majesty, how are your sizes compared to Thor’s?” The eternal relief pitcher of Avengers, Coulson, stepped forward. “There is a suit prepared for him. I think you will be able to wear it if we modify it a little.”

“Thank you.”

Odin accepted the kind offer since anything was better than staying here being a laughing stock.

“Then please follow me.”

“Oh, me too! I’ll help!” Tony straightened up, quickly getting rid of his laughter. “You can use Thor’s suit and shoes, but you’d need accessories like cufflinks and tie, too, right? Tony Stark is the man for men’s fashion, you know.”

Clint stuck his tongue out from behind him.

“A little help would be okay,” said Coulson. “Don’t worry, everyone. I will be present so he won’t be able to try anything strange.”

Odin eyed Tony and Coulson warily.

“Don’t worry,” said Fury. “Stark tends to mess about but he isn’t stupid enough to mess up something important.”

“Hey, Fury?” Clint waved his hand right in front of his eye. “You trust Loki and now you trust everyone in this whole wide world? Even Tony Stark?”

“Hey, why don’t everyone stop messing and just get on with it?” Bruce said in a tense voice, his face buried in his hands. “I’m not even directly involved but just watching you guys is stressing me out, so how would he be feeling?”

“Oh, yeah. I’ll be quick,” Tony suddenly turned docile. “I’ll dress him up in a way even Loki can’t complain, so just wait one second.”

Coulson disappeared inside with Tony and Odin. Natasha looked down to scan the surrounding areas of the building.

“I wonder how far Thor’d ran off to.”

“Loki wasn’t really trying to kill him, so he’d come back after giving him some,” Clint assured her.

“There’s a more reliable method,” and Fury took out his phone. “Loki, I don’t want to interrupt you chasing Thor, but can you come back to the rooftop?”

And Loki appeared in front of Fury as soon as he asked him.

“What is it? …...And where’s Odin......?”

“Coulson and Stark took him. To get him some proper clothes.”

Loki sighed, relieved.

“Where’s Thor?” Natasha asked.

“I stopped chasing him soon after. I can’t really do something to him when Odin is here,” and Loki hunched his shoulders. “Do you think Odin is mad?”

“It didn’t seem so,” Steve quickly assured him. “Even if he is a bit, it would be more because of Tony than you and... well, more because of the circumstances. So don’t worry.”

“Captain is right.” Fury said. “He seemed to have known that it was unsuitable, and it is clearly Thor’s mistake so you are not responsible for it.”

Loki nodded.

Well, it was problematic that his instant reaction to someone’s mistake was violence rather than words, no, verbal abuse and physical abuse, but since it was Thor he was dealing with, some allowances had to be made. Thor won’t be hurt by getting hit by a potted plant.

Still, Loki needed to learn to react in a more cultured way when he got angry at a normal person, noted Fury in his internal Loki Rearing Plan; he wondered how long it’d take for Odin to turn up with ‘appropriate’ clothing.

“Why don’t we wait in the shade?” at Natasha’s suggestion, they all nodded and went into the penthouse.

“Shall we drink something?” Loki headed for the fridge at the bar.

“Guess it’s hot for you, eh?” asked Clint.

“No, it is just that I don’t want to wait around doing nothing,” Loki answered honestly unlike his usual self and took some fruit and juice from the fridge. Soon the elevator opened and the three people returned.

Odin was wearing a black suit with a bow tie and had put on simple gold cufflinks. The hairstyle was unchanged from before, his long white hair flowing down, but somehow it seemed to suit Earth clothing much better than before. Tony was looking very smug behind him.

“Mafia II... No, Mafia 0, I guess,” Clint let out his honest impression.

“Clint, if you keep making useless comments, I will have the soundtrack for Legolas to play wherever you go,” Loki warned him.

“Eek,” Clink clamped his hands over his mouth.

“Wow, that would be some-” Tony stopped and also covered his mouth shut when Coulson glared at him.

“That is much better, and goes with Loki’s style also,” Fury offered. “I hope you have a good time.”

“Now where do we go and what do we do?” asked Odin.

“Usually people go to a museum or a zoo,” said Coulson. “Museums here wouldn’t be interesting for you so I suggest going to the zoo. There is a small zoo closeby, which is convenient.”

“A zoo, is it a place where captured live animals are displayed?” asked Odin.

“Similar, but it is more common to breed them within the zoo these days.”

“...Is that so?”

From Odin’s reaction, the earthlings wondered for a moment what a zoo in Asgard was like.

“Enjoy yourself,” Fury patted Loki’s shoulder.

“No need to worry; I am not a child,” unlike his words, Loki’s expression was soft. “I’ll be going.”

After saying so to everyone, not just to Fury, Loki went up to Odin. Watching the two of them make their way down on the elevator, Clint and Natasha got up.

“...You too?”

“We do think alike.”

“Of course we do, it’s not just anyone; it’s Loki. We can’t just let him go. Something is bound to happen,” Tony got in between them and pulled up a screen on the table. “Coulson, with SHIELD access codes we can just bring up the Central Park Zoo’s CCTV feeds without bothering to hack into the system, right?”

“We can do that after they arrive at the park,” is what he said, but Coulson activated the protocol he had prepared beforehand and loaded up all the camera feeds from the park.

“.....Overprotective family...” Bruce mumbled.

“It’s not just for Loki’s protection; it’s also for the safety of the citizens who might get involved,” Steve consoled him.

“So an accident is definitely happening?”

“No,” said Fury, in a voice so firm that everyone stopped what they were doing for a moment. “Loki is able to deal with most trouble by himself.”

“Oh, the daddy is being all-”

“But,” Fury glared at Tony with an eye. “Since we are the ones doing it, we need to be prepared for the worst case scenario.”

“I knew you’re one of the overprotective crew.”

Natasha got in the elevator that came back up with Clint, smiling.

“Right, then we will be off as well.”

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

 

Feeling benevolent towards the drivers of New York City, Loki did not drive but teleported the two of them straight to the park. He himself didn’t like it going on the road much, but it was more for Odin; he thought that if Odin experienced the brutality on the road (which is strange considering that everyone became normal the moment they stepped out of their car), he wouldn’t take it too well.

As they had intentionally planned this outing on a day where not many people would be present, the park was not too crowded. However the looks they received were so considerable that it was nearly tangible.

“Loki.”

“Yes?”

Loki tensed, taken back by Odin calling him.

“Are we... not dressed like the Midgardians, somehow?”

Indeed, around them, there were no Midgardians who were dressed like them.

“No, we are wearing a formal attire following the Midgardian fashion, and they are not paying such attention to us because they think we are from another realm. They simply... well, imagine we are people of high-ranks of this world.”

“Is that so,” that was quite alright, so from then on Odin decided to dismiss the looks he got.

They bought the entrance tickets and slowly made their way to the inside of the zoo. People kept glancing at them and some parents took their children up in their arms and ran away; but making way for the royalty was how it should be, so Odin did not find it strange at all.

There was a more important and pressing matter to attend to, anyway.

What should he say to Loki?

If the two of them didn’t say anything but just stared at the Midgardian animals and kept on walking, he would not be able to achieve the outcome he desired. They needed to talk. And it would be best if they could talk about something which would help them to understand each other and grow close to one another.

Odin could not recall any diplomatic negotiation which was harder than this.

They passed a cage full of small and multi-coloured birds and progressed towards the area with big animals. After a long while, Odin finally opened his mouth.

“The animals of Midgard are... all very tame, it seems.”

“...Indeed, it seems that way.”

There were little striped animals similar to small weasels and big animals which looked like long-haired bulls; all the animals were either leisurely walking around the cage or snoozing, their limbs all loose, or eating their feed; though they were held captive, they didn’t bare their fangs or growl at people.  

“So how do the Midgardian warriors prove their strength and courage, if all the animals are tame like these?”

Loki frowned and considered this.

“...Indeed, how do they?” he tilted his head. “True, there are ferocious beast such as lions and bears, but at least the Avengers never went out to hunt them. Well, also there are not many in Midgard who may be considered as being warriors.”

“If the warriors who represent Midgard do not hunt, it must mean that hunting is not customary here.”

“Such seems to be the case.”

“Besides, you wouldn’t need to hunt, if all the animals are tame like these.”

“Indeed.”

And they resumed their silent walk, looking at the animals.

Finally a big white bear appeared, and the two Aesir felt some interest; but they were again disappointed to see that the bear just lay on its stomach on a rock and didn’t move.

“Must be because the season does not suit it,” Loki searched about the polar bear on his StarkPhone. It was not just Odin who was trying to make conversation. “It is a creature from a climate full of snow and ice, and therefore loses vitality when moved to a warm climate...”

It was too late when he realised his mistake.

A bear, captured from a place of ice and snow and taken to summer.

Feeling more awkward than they did when they left Avengers Tower, now Odin and Loki just stared at the ground as they walked. Even the sight of cute penguins waddling about couldn’t cheer them up.

Was he losing this chance like this? Odin began to feel desperate. He looked around them to find something that could help them to resume a conversation.

When they met Odin’s gaze, again the humans dispersed. Everyone who had plucked up their courage and came close to the two when they were staring at the ground all vanished away, and only two people were left beside them; they were also standing by the penguin cage.

The reason they didn’t run away from Odin was because these two weren’t looking at him. They seemed to be father and son; the son had his arms crossed and was glaring at the rock which formed the rear wall of the penguin cage with a stubborn look on his face, while the grown-up was looking at the child.

“Jimmy.”

“I really hate you dad,” Jimmy spat out, as if to himself. “I wanted to play computer games at home. What is this, you never even played catch with me in the yard when we lived together.”

“You hate playing catch.”

“I hate the zoo, too!” the child shouted. “I hate the zoo and the museum and the amusement park and all that; you were never interested in me but now you’re trying to act like a dad!”

“I am not acting like a dad, I am your dad! That’s why I come to see you like this.”

“You just come because you don’t want to look bad, even when you find it annoying! I hate you, I don’t want to see you again ever!”

“Now that is a lie.”

The father and the son all turned. Loki was looking down at them.

“If you truly hate your father, and even meeting him once in a while is unbearable, you don’t have to meet him. Visitation rights? You can do away with something trivial as that by just telling them he hit you or touched you when you were alone. You can stop meeting him, forever.” Loki bent down and looked the child in the eye. “But you don’t do that, and that’s because you don’t hate meeting him, or at least you can bear to meet him. Isn’t that right?”

The father was gaping, but could make no sound. Jimmy couldn’t answer and just opened and closed his mouth.

“What, what’s it to you?”

“Nothing to me, really, but most fathers are fools. They don’t understand what their children think or why they say this or act that way, as if they had never been a son themselves. Don’t you agree?”

Jimmy nodded.

“So even if it’s a bit bothersome, you should explain things very clearly to your father. Never assume that he will understand at least this much because he is an adult. So if you want to play computer games at home with him or...” Loki tilted his head slightly. “Do the games have events? Like game shows and such?”

Jimmy nodded.

“Yes, if you want to go to something like that, you should say so to him, clearly.”

“But even if I tell him, he won’t do it.”

“If you think so, then don’t meet him again. That is better,” Loki said in a serious voice. “If you keep on meeting him like that, you still won’t be able to communicate with him and you won’t understand each other and the misunderstandings will pile up and you will end up hating each other. Then you will feel more and more miserable and your father won’t even know what he had done wrong and will keep dragging you to a zoo and you will be consumed by your misery and others will brand you as an annoying brat and you will become isolated at school and you will begin to hate the world and you will become a teenage delinquent who run away from home and...”

“Hey, hey, no need to go that far!” The child’s father shouted. “We’ll take care of our own affairs, so keep out of it! It’s not like I don’t want to talk to Jimmy and I will take him to a game show or wherever else he wants to go!”

“Apparently so. Turned out well for you,” Loki smiled brightly and patted the child’s head.

********   
  
  


“.........What is that lunatic saying to a kid,” Tony muttered in shock, who had listened to the whole conversation through the cufflinks he had fastened on Odin. Beside him, Steve was completely flabbergasted and couldn’t even comment.

“Well, at least it turned out okay, right?” said Bruce, unconvincingly.

“Still he shouldn’t put it like that!” Steve exploded.

“There are research results that prove arguing to mediate the different views is better for improving the couple’s relationship than just not saying anything and accumulating resentment-”

Steve refuted Coulson’s comment at once.

“They are not a couple but father and son; and even leaving that aside, that, well, anyway he could have advised them differently and not like that, right?”

-Loki.

They could hear Odin’s voice. Odin couldn’t hear them, but everyone held their breath.

-Do you want to say something to me?

Loki looked down.

-No, that is not what I meant.

“Hey, if you want to improve your relationship even by arguing, don’t chicken out yourself,” Tony supplied.

-If you have somewhere you wish to go, or something you want to do, tell me.

Loki just hung his head.

“Why doesn’t he say?” Thor tilted his head. “Surely it is boring for Loki too; so why doesn’t he say he wants to go to somewhere more interesting?”

“If that’s so simple as that, people wouldn’t worry anymore,” Tony sighed. Beside him Bruce nodded in assent. “Maybe it is more effective to threaten him with sending his father to the prison like Loki said- I’m joking, only joking. Steve, don’t glare at me like that. I was just joking, okay?”

In the screen, the child’s father was running away, dragging his kid with him. It was obvious he had belatedly realised that there was a good reason behind everyone keeping a safe distance from those two.

-By the way, is it possible to send the parent to the prison if the child wishes it in Midgard?

Again Odin asked.

-No, however..... the child can pretend that he had been abused. The parent deemed as being unworthy parent do not even have the right to see the child.

-Midgard is a strange place.

“Nope, you guys are strange, it’s you guys,” Tony cut in.

-It is not only Midgard.

-Hm?

Odin turned towards Loki, but Loki was looking at the penguins.

-Oh.

The next moment, suddenly Odin was beside Loki and had his arm around Loki’s waist.

-Um, Odin?

-Heimdall, open the Bifrost!

“......What? What? WHAT?!”

Everybody staring at the screen all jumped up, shocked. Steve opened the Avengers communication channel.

-What the hell just happened?!

Clint and Natasha shouted in unison, even before he called for them.

“I don’t know, we were watching and suddenly Odin ran, grabbing Loki!”

“Heimdall!!!” Thor ran outside and shouted towards the sky at the top of his lungs. “Heimdall!! Open the Bifrost! Bring me to Asgard also!”

“Wait, what would you do by yourself?!” Steve quickly ran outside and grabbed him. “We should go too; at least after everyone got their weapons and-”

“Stand down, everyone.”

At Fury’s words all the Avengers stopped, surprised.

“You think we should wait till the sunset?” asked Coulson.

-To hell with waiting, he just got kidnapped right in front of our eyes!

Clint shouted.

“Thor. Officially, does Loki have any punishment to receive in Asgard?”

Thor shook his head.

“Then let’s wait. Maybe they went to a zoo in Asgard... or a zoo in some place else since the Midgardian zoo was too boring.”

“And if they don’t come back?” asked Bruce.

“We have a hostage, too,” Fury pointed at Thor. Thor pointed at himself.

“...Me?”

“Something as valuable as Odin’s son can only be Odin’s other son.”

“Hey, get back in here, Thor! Before that Heim-whatever grabs you too!” Tony shouted.

“.....Odin isn’t trusted here, is he?” Bruce was a bit amazed.

“With the way he acted two years ago when he came down to earth? Not at all,” Steve grabbed Thor tightly and pulled him inside. “Though it was... good that it provided an opportunity for Loki to redeem himself.”

-We will make our way back to the tower.

Natasha reported.

“Yes, come back as soon as you can,” answered Fury. “I hope it won’t be the case, but if he doesn’t let Loki go, we may have to bring him back by force.”

********   
  
  


For the whole day, the Avengers spent all their time making preparations for a battle in every way possible. Finally the sun began to sink, and soon it was nearly hanging on the horizon; the tension was reaching an all-time high by then.

“Maybe the sun has gone down already, and the sunlight still reaches the tower due to its height, you know?”

“Tony, I think that’s a bit far-fetched.”

“Now, let’s begin planning. I have thought through our battle plans, one without Thor and one with Thor, and we do not have topographic advantages and we can’t do a sneak-”

A light showered down on the rooftop outside. Everyone inside ran out.

Loki was standing there by himself. He was still in the clothes he was wearing before, but his eyes and the tip of his nose were red.

“Where did you go?” Thor shouted.

“Asgard. Hlidskjalf. Father’s throne.”

There was no time to rejoice over Loki calling Odin his father again.

“Why? What did you do? Did you... cry?”

“A little,” Loki made his way inside, looking tired and his steps weary. The Avengers made way for him, not saying a word.

“What happened there?” asked Steve, after everyone was inside again.

“I saw Jotunheim.”

Some time passed before the penny dropped.

“Your child,” said Natasha. Loki nodded.

“He was growing up well. His nursemaid seems like a good person and adores him and....... he can flip himself over already.”

“...Oh.”

Loki smiled weakly.

“So..... I think I’ll go to bed now. I’m tired out.”

“Yeah, sure. Sleep well,” Steve nodded. Loki looked at what everyone’s wearing, as if he had only noticed it then.

“...If you didn’t come back at the set time, we were going to go to Odin and ‘let him know’ that it was getting late,” said Fury. Loki merely nodded.

“Is father coming next month too?” asked Thor.

“Yes. Oh, and next time, I will send instructions which includes explanations on how to choose what to wear, so you, don’t do anything.”

After deflating Thor completely, Loki got on the elevator and disappeared. Steve patted Thor’s shoulder encouragingly.

“It’s okay,” said Thor. “It’s okay.”

********  
  


 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The scene with Jimmy and his father in the zoo was going to be longer than this, but somehow that didn’t happen... Maybe I should’ve named this Overprotective Family.


End file.
